Christmas Warmth
by iPurpleBerri
Summary: /NiouXMarui/ Marui always loved it when people paid attention to him. But when his teammates start paying more attention to his brothers rather than him, what is he to do? /Written for the Secret Santa Fic Exchange/


_**Fic written for the Pointless but Original Talking Forum Secret Santa Fic Exchange.**_  
**Request Number:** 13  
**Pairing/Groups:** Any  
**Squicks/Turn Offs in Fic:** None  
**Interests in Fic:** Anything if fine.  
**Gen/Het/Slash/Smut/None/All-of-the-above?: **Gen/Het/Smut us okay with me~  
**Request:** Anything is OK...  
**A/N/Message to receiver: **I'm not sure if you like HaruMaru, Angieko-senpai. n_n" I tried finishing this before Christmas eve since my family planned an outing on the 26th. Plus, I was sick and we came home late. :'D But enough about me. HAPPY NEW YEAR! (and a Merry Christmas too!) Hope you'll have a fine year ahead of you! /cheers

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**Christmas Warmth**

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_**24**__**th**__** of December**_

The streets were covered in heavy blankets of snow. Roads were blocked, trees looked as if they were painted white, and houses didn't look like houses anymore. They were covered in mountains of snow. Christmas was near, and people were getting troubled.

A certain red-head sighed. Staying at home with two brothers really is annoying, especially since they're little brats. He'd rather spend the holidays with his teammates.

He turned his head away from his siblings for a second, and the next thing he knew, the gift he had prepared for a certain friend, was on the floor, broken.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" he screamed at the top of his lungs.

His siblings laughed. "Nii-san's funny!" one of them said. The other one chuckled. "Only _girls_ scream like that," they teased.

Just as he was about to scream at them once more, the phone rang. He picked it up quickly. Hoping it was their parents, saying that they were heading home. "Hello?"

"Yo," came Niou's voice. "Buchou's holding a Christmas party at his house. Wanna come?" he asked. His voice echoed in Marui's ears.

He looked at his siblings as they ran around the house. He can't leave them alone for even one second. And he wouldn't want to get scolded. Again.

"I can't," he replied. "My parents left me in charge of my brothers. And I can't just leave them here."

He played with the telephone cord while waiting for Niou's reply. "Why don't you bring those little brats over?" the trickster suggested, smiling evilly. "I'll find a way to make them shut up."

Marui grinned. "I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Good," Niou replied. And they both hung up.

He turned around to face his brothers. "Hiro, Jun, listen up! We're going to Mura-buchou's Christmas party! Any complaints?" he asked in an awkward tone. That's when he thought it sounded stupid.

"No complaints, sir!" the two replied, saluting.

And off they went. Marui felt at ease about these two monsters he had. Keeping in mind what Niou had said. _I'll find a way to make them shut up._

Marui smirked. This was going to be an interesting night. He could just feel it.

"Nii-san's been smiling awkwardly for some time now, huh?" one told the other. The latter shrugged as he looked up at their brother who was smiling like an idiot. "That always happens when he gets a call from his boyfriend."

They both snickered.

"Just as expected," Marui interrupted. They stopped walking.

"What is it, nii-san?" the two asked in unison.

"The snow blocked the roads," he replied, looking around.

Hiro face palmed. "Stating the obvious is stupid, you know?"

"Right," Jun said, nodding.

Marui ignored them.

"Nii-san _is _stupid, anyway," both of them said together in laughter.

"Ah! Marui-kun, you're late!" Yukimura said, approaching them. He then looked down at the two boys. "Are these two your siblings?" he asked with his ever lovely smile.

"I'm Hiro," the boy said, pointing to himself.

"And I'm Jun," the latter followed.

"Nice to meet you," they greeted.

Yukimura chuckled. "These two really are like their older brother," he said. "Except that they're polite. And _way_ cuter."

Marui was dumbfounded. "Huh? Did you just say _cute_? These two? They're nowhere near cute!"

Yukimura noticed it. Marui's voice was trembling—as if he was jealous. "I was only joking, Marui-kun."

Marui chuckled softly. He was speechless.

Soon enough, Marui found Niou. He was with Yagyuu like always.

"Oi, Maru, did you bring your brothers?" was the first question that came out of Niou's mouth.

Marui felt sort of irritated. But he tried to contain it. "They're with Mura. It seems like they're having fun with him."

Yagyuu was drinking some kind of apple-flavored punch when he decided to say something to the red-haired boy. "The tone you're using makes you sound like you're jealous." He took another sip. "Are you jealous of them, Marui-kun?"

The so-called tensai pouted. "I'm not." All the gentleman could do was raise an eyebrow at him.

"Are you sure?"

Marui nodded. "Yes."

Niou smirked. "In this case, I don't have to do anything to them. They're not bothering you, anyway, right?"

They all paused. And Yagyuu, thinking that someone should speak up, decided that he should break the silence himself.

"I'll go get some more punch," Yagyuu said, standing up. _I better give these two some time alone. Only Niou-kun can talk Marui-kun out of his depression_, he thought to himself.

Marui got into a more comfortable position on the couch, and sighed. "Having Yagyuu asking all those questions is not what I'd call _comfortable_." Niou snickered. "He's always like that, isn't he? Even at school."

Marui sighed again.

Niou stood up and took a seat right beside Marui. He then placed his arm over the latter's shoulders. And the tensai snuggled closer.

"It sure is cold, ne, Haru?" Marui said. He looked at the window and watched the snow fall outside.

"You're jealous, right?" Niou suddenly asked. "You're jealous of Hiro and Jun because they're getting a lot of attention."

Marui bit his lip. "You're not the kind to solve other people's problems." He then looked away, giving Niou a cold shoulder.

A smirk formed on the trickster's face. "Come on, stop lying."

The tensai blinked quite a few times. "How can you be so sure that I'm lying?" he asked, still looking away.

"You have this cute habit of twitching your nose when you lie," Niou answered, snickering. "And you don't look at me when you do."

Marui frowned. "Fine. I am jealous. I like getting a lot of attention, okay?" he admitted, making fists with his hands. After he had calmed down, he opened them up again and sighed.

"Then I'll give you all the attention you need," Niou said, giving him _the_ look. Marui turned bright red.

Niou played with Marui's hair. "Eh, you're blushing? That means you like it, right, Maru?" He then sniffed on the said boy's hair. "You get red whenever I do this to you."

Marui looked embarrassed. He turned his face away. "I just like it 'cause it's cold," he lied again.

"You really do act weird when you're around _me_," Niou teased.

All Marui could do was pout.

As they watched the snow, they heard the grandfather clock chime. It was midnight.

Marui snuggled closer. "Merry Christmas, Haru."

Niou chuckled softly. "Right back at you."


End file.
